This invention relates to optical wave propagation systems and devices utilizing electro-optical devices, and more particularly to grating assisted devices for filtering, coupling and other functions.
Communication systems now increasingly employ optical waveguides (optical fibers) which, because of their high speed, low attenuation and wide bandwidth characteristics, can be used for carrying data, video and voice signals concurrently. An important extension of these communication systems is the use of wavelength division multiplexing, by which a given wavelength band is segmented into separate wavelengths so that multiple traffic can be carried on a single installed line. This application requires the use of multiplexers and demultiplexers which are capable of dividing the band into given multiples (such as 4, 8, or 16 different wavelengths) which are separate but closely spaced. Adding individual wavelengths to a wideband signal, and extracting a given wavelength from a multi-wavelength signal require wavelength selective couplers, and this has led to the development of a number of add/drop filters, the common terminology now used for devices of this type.
Since wavelength selectivity is inherent in a Bragg grating, workers in the art have devised a number of grating-assisted devices for adding or extracting a given wavelength with respect to a multi-wavelength signal. Typical optical fibers propagate waves by the use of the light confining and guiding properties of a central core and a surrounding cladding of a lower index of refraction. The wave energy is principally propagated in the core, and a number of add/drop filters or couplers have been developed using Bragg gratings in the core region of one of a pair of parallel, closely adjacent or touching fibers. The coupling region is commonly termed "evanescent" in that a signal propagated along one fiber couples over into the other, as an inherent function of the design. The wavelength selectivity is established by the embedded grating which provides forward or backward transmission of the selected wavelength, depending upon chosen grating characteristics. For modern communication systems, however, this approach has a number of functional and operative limitations, pertaining to such factors as spectral selectivity, signal to noise ratio, grating strength, temperature instability and polarization sensitivity.
The applications referenced above are based upon a novel theoretical concept and practical implementation. A narrow waist region of two fused dissimilar fibers is defined between pairs of tapered coupling sections at each end. At the waist, the merged fibers are formed by elongation of an optical fiber precursor of generally conventional size and are so diametrically small that the central core effectively vanishes. The wave energy is transferred through the merged fiber region in two spatially overlapping, orthogonal modes. Since the propagating energize of the modes overlap, the coupling is potentially non-evanescent in the presence of a coupling mechanism such as a diffraction grating. For example, a reflective grating written in the waist region redirects only a selected wavelength of an input signal at the input port to the drop port, while all other wavelengths propagate through the waist section without reflection to the throughput port. This reflection grating couples light between two optical modes in a non-evanescent manner. Numerous advantages derive from this concept and configuration, but the realization of its full potential is dependent upon other developmental factors.
For example, modern applications require that any add/drop filter based upon this concept be very efficient at routing channels, have a strong grating which can be selectively and precisely placed at or adjusted to a specific wavelength and yet have a limited bandwidth, be temperature insensitive, compact, low cost, and not subject to spurious reflections or noise in the chosen wavelength band. Achieving high drop efficiency and low polarization dependence are particularly important. The problems of achieving these operative properties while at the same time providing a repeatably producible unit of very small size and high sensitivity have required much further innovation.